WV Executive

With the growing interest for companies to do business in West Virginia, conducting business with surrounding markets has become easier. The Washington, D.C. market has encompassed West Virginia's Eastern Panhandle while government agencies in Washington have developed partnerships with the technology corridor on Interstate 79.

As those in the West Virginia and Washington markets collaborate, the connection to Washington has become more efficient by traveling to the Dulles International Airport.

After arriving in Washington, D.C. on the Independence Air inaugural flight from Charleston in July, I immediately realized that this connection between the two markets was something West Virginia business leaders should embrace. In this article, I have showcased the tools necessary to make business or leisure travel to Washington, D.C. a success.

Transportation

There is always the scenic but not-so-pragmatic route by way of vehicle, which always makes for an interesting trip. Because gas prices are skyrocketing, it is more sensible to fly to Washington, D.C. and take shuttle services than to drive. While traveling throughout Washington, D.C., I found several paths, depending on the timeliness of your trip, that one could take.

Taxi service is plentiful and economical in Washington, D.C. Taxis operate on a zone, rather than meter system, and by law, all rates must be posted in each cab. Rates are usually $1.50 for each additional passenger. When flying to the Dulles International Airport from Charleston, the taxi fare to inner Washington, D.C. will range from $40 to $60, depending on your final destination.

Metrorail and Metrobus provide the safest, cleanest and most efficient way to travel around Washington, D.C. and the metropolitan suburbs. Five rail lines and an extensive bus system connects the District with the Maryland and Virginia suburbs. Train lines are named for colors: red, yellow, blue, green and orange.

Route maps are posted at each station and inside each subway car so that passengers can easily find their destination. Metrorail opens at 5 a.m. weekdays and 7 a.m. on weekends. It closes at midnight Sunday through Thursday. On Friday and Saturday, it stays open until 3 a.m. to accommodate the nightlife. Each train displays the name of its farthest destination. Base Metrorail fare is $1.35 and increases during rush hour and for longer trips. Rail farecards can be purchased at vending machines located inside the stations. Farecards are inserted into the turnstile gates when entering the subway platform. The fare is automatically deducted from your card upon exiting a station.

This method of transportation within Washington, D.C. is the most common way of travel, although getting to the station is tricky. Brown pylons, capped with the letter "M," mark station entrances, and colored stripes indicate which lines are available. Station entrances usually are located below a building and are disguised.

There are four car rental businesses to assist both business and leisure travelers who like to take their own route. Budget, Dollar, Enterprise and Thrifty, located at Dulles International Airport, all offer an array of vehicles that are suitable to fit any budget. Car rentals are an accommodating way to travel at your own pace. The route can be quite tricky not knowing the street directions, which can cause a chaotic trip if you are not familiar with Washington, D.C.

Always the ever-popular way to travel in style, stretch limousine and executive-class vehicles are available with advance reservations through private vendors. Prices start at approximately $42 for downtown Washington, D.C. and suburban Maryland destinations. There are many limousine services located in Washington, D.C. but our top choices were Bayside, American Eagle, Dial A Car and AAA. These vendors offer a mission to render the ultimate in ground transportation and service to clientele. The goal is to provide transportation to businesses and private parties while setting the standard of exceptional customer service and unsurpassed safety and luxury.

While there are other ways to travel within Washington, D.C., I found that these services were the most accommodating.

Lodging

Most hotels within Washington, D.C.'s downtown district serve amenities that are pleasurable to both business and leisure travelers. Below is a list of some of the most prestigious hotels and plazas furnished uniquely between the high-embossed streets of Washington, D.C.

Hotel Washington: Registered as a National Historic Landmark, The Hotel Washington is the oldest continuously operated hotel in Washington, D.C. The Hotel Washington features newly renovated guest rooms with 18th-century traditional, mahogany furniture and Italian marble bathrooms. There are 11 meeting rooms and more than 17,000 square feet of meeting space that has been beautifully restored. The Hotel Washington is one block from the White House and is known as Washington's best address.

Loews L'Enfant Plaza Hotel: Known as one of the city's more elegant hotels, Loews L'Enfant Plaza is centrally located in the nation's capitol, a short walk from Capitol Hill, the Smithsonian Institution, the Air and Space Museum, The National Gallery of Art and the Holocaust Museum. The hotel is located just 10 minutes from Washington National Airport, and virtually every accommodation presents spectacular views, many from private balconies.

The Hotel George: The Hotel George brings a contemporary alternative to Washington's traditional style hotels. This vintage 1928 building has been dramatically re-sculpted to incorporate large expanses of glass, stainless steel and coral stone walls. Contemporary design elements include specially selected furnishings and artwork that enhances the public space and guest rooms. Furniture, artwork and even the uniforms have been custom designed for the Hotel George. Ideally located in the heart of Capital Hill's business district, two blocks from the Capitol building and one block from Union Station, the Hotel George offers state of the art amenities, an award winning restaurant and exceptional service in a neo-modern setting.

The Latham Hotel: An upscale boutique property with a European feel, The Latham Hotel hosts a five star-diamond California French fine dining restaurant. The Latham offers a comfortable stay reminiscent of European inns offering corporate and leisure guests a variety of guestrooms featuring business amenities as well as those little extras provided by its international staff. Take a quiet stroll along the C&O Canal located behind the hotel or walk along the streets of Georgetown amid post-revolutionary homes. The monuments, museums and attractions that make a visit to the nation's capital unforgettable are only minutes away by cab or Metro.

Monarch Hotel Washington, D.C.: Nestled in Washington's prestigious West End, The Monarch Hotel combines luxurious guest rooms with superior levels of service, quality and convenience. Located minutes from the White House and Georgetown, the hotel features Washington's premier fitness center, the city's top-rated Sunday champagne brunch, outdoor dining in The Bistro restaurant, a full-service business center and more than 29,000 square feet of meeting facilities. Half of the hotel's over-sized guest rooms face a tranquil garden courtyard, and the atrium style lobby features a cocktail lounge and nightly piano entertainment.

Phoenix Park Hotel: America's center of Irish hospitality, Phoenix Park Hotel combines Celtic charm with an ideal Capitol Hill location. All refurbished guest rooms and suites offer unique Celtic style, complete with original artwork and brand name luxurious Irish linens. Penthouse Suites have balconies overlooking historic Union Station, working fireplaces, antiques, mahogany dining tables, well-appointed kitchens and oversized bathtubs. Two-story suites each feature a parlor with pullout sofa and a spiral staircase that ascends to a deluxe king room with full bath. These suites are truly unique and boast some of Ireland's finest in custom-designed carpets and chandeliers.

Jurys Washington Hotel: This hotel is located in downtown Washington, D.C. on the historical Dupont Circle. Offering an excellent base for both the business and leisure traveler, the hotel is within walking distance of business and cultural attractions, surrounded by a host of bistros, coffee houses and restaurants. Warm and welcoming, Jurys Washington hotel offers excellent accommodation in its executive-styled bedrooms, mid-priced contemporary restaurant, Irish pub (made in and imported from Ireland), gym, business center and versatile conference center.

One Washington Circle Hotel: With its multi-million dollar makeover complete, Washington's preeminent all-suite business hotel has become full-circle. The hotel sets an enviable standard with rooms of extravagant spaciousness, rich with elegant touches of home vibrant furnishings, gourmet kitchens with coffee makers and scenic walkout balconies offering a refreshing view of life above the city. In addition to the legendary romance and intrigue that made The Circle a popular amenity, business and leisure-travelers alike will take comfort in a refreshing new concept, high in contemporary style.

Business in the District

Washington, D.C. is an exquisite city, offering unparalleled opportunities to organizations and businesses both small and large. The Capitol boasts a multifaceted economy tied to national and international markets, a well-educated and highly skilled work force, an award-winning Metrorail system, the world's largest collection of museums and art galleries, an excellent health-care and university system, abundant parklands and brick row-houses along tree-lined streets in historic neighborhoods. These are but a few of the city's many assets and amenities.

Washington, D.C. has a diverse private-sector economy, with strong technology, international business and tourism sectors. It is by several measures the largest high-tech market in the country and also considered an ideal location for firms looking to gain global exposure and access to federal policy makers.

Although DC's technology sector was hit by the national slowdown a few years ago, its diversity-and federal spending on technology-helped soften the blow. Today, there are clear signs of recovery and growth potential.

Leisure

Washington, D.C. is packed with famous sights, free attractions, historic neighborhoods and many treasures that inspire millions to visit each year. Whether it is a first-time tour of the nation's capital or a themed and customized itinerary, Washington, D.C. offers year-round opportunities for both leisure and business travelers.

From Civil War to Civil Rights and from arts and culture to shopping and spas, Washington, D.C. also offers unique tours that enable visitors to explore the District on bikes, trolleys and amphibious sightseeing carriers. Professional guides from intelligence and security experts to professional photographers also provide highly specialized and entertaining tours. Whether traveling for business or leisure, you are sure to find an activity that will spark the interest of everyone in the group.

One of the city's best museums includes D.C.'s most popular attraction-the National Air and Space Museum located at Capitol Hill, just across from the National Mall and the National Archives. An extensive collection of airplanes, spacecraft and aviation memorabilia means visitors can start with the Wright brothers and end with the space shuttle. The marriage of hard science and entertainment is completely successful in this attraction, the most popular of the Smithsonian museums.

Another ever-popular museum that attracts many visitors is the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. Do not expect to breeze through this museum and then pop over to the Mall for more sightseeing-it is a heavy, draining experience. Visitors should plan to spend at least three hours here, plus some quiet time to recover. This museum is heart-wrenching, but it depicts the events that the United States endeavored during those monumental years.

The Washington Monument is another must-see when visiting Washington, D.C. because it is the highest all-masonry tower in the world. At 55 feet wide at the base and 555 feet tall, the white obelisk on the National Mall is made of 36,000 stones of marble from Maryland (the exterior) and granite from Maine (the interior) with a combined weight of 90,000 tons. One interesting feature is the interior iron stairway with 50 landings and 897 stone steps. These donated stones come from every state in the Union, as well as Native American nations and foreign countries. While the stairwell has been closed since the 1970s, visitors can gain access to the top observation area via elevator.

Continue the leisure experience of Washington, D.C. with visits to some fine art galleries, showcasing some of the finest pieces throughout the world. The National Gallery of Art owns a large and varied collection of paintings, sculptures and graphic arts from the Middle Ages to the present, including American art. Do not overlook the artistry of the buildings themselves. The stately, older West Building was designed by John Russell Pope, who also designed the Jefferson Memorial. The strikingly triangulated East Building was designed by I.M. Pei. The two buildings are separated on the ground level by a plaza and joined underground by a passageway lined with restaurants and shops selling posters, books, toys and other art-related objects.

Sometimes called America's first museum of American art, The Phillips Collection is an ever-growing gem situated just off Embassy Row in Dupont Circle, appropriately in the heart of Washington's vibrant artistic community. Originally the elegant home of Duncan Phillips, the museum debuted in 1921 with Phillips' own private collection, which soon expanded to include works of more than 250 19th- and 20th-century American and European luminaries. The handsome Georgian Revival building-expanded twice with two additions-is perhaps best known as the home of Pierre-Auguste Renoir's lush "Luncheon of the Boating Party." The extensive collection also contains a number of Van Goghs, as well as paintings by Monet, Manet, Cezanne, Gauguin, Picasso, Bonnard and O'Keeffe.

Corcoran Gallery of Art, National Museum of Women in the Arts, Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden and Robert Brown's Gallery at Dupont Circle features a remarkable compilation of African-American, American, European and women's postmodern and modern art.

With the increased accessibility to travel conveniently, the Washington, D.C. connection to West Virginia will only continue to become stronger. For more information regarding Independence Air's competitive rates, visit their Web site at www.flyi.com.

Billboards provided by the West Virginia Division of Tourism are located in the Metro Center along the Metrorail."

Political Hot Spots

Bistro Bis: Located in the Hotel George and within a stone's throw of the power corridors of the Capitol building, this upscale bistro is a power lunch spot by day and a chic dinner spot by night. Bistro Bis serves up classic French fare "with an American sensibility."

Bombay Club: Head to the lavish Bombay Club, where the food and decor go beyond serviceable and into the upper echelons of Indian fine dining. The calamari bears no resemblance to the over-breaded, deep-fried stuff you get at your local brewpub. Instead, it is stir-fried with onion, tamarind and curry leaves. With its centrally located downtown setting, Bombay Club draws a big lunch crowd. At lunch, you can order "half dishes" to share so you can taste a greater variety.

Capitol Lounge: There is something about this place that makes it feel perfectly situated for Capitol Hill. It is a bipartisan lounge, with one area full of Republican wall hangings, such as a vintage Nixon poster, and another area featuring the likes of LBJ, Kennedy and other Democratic icons. The downstairs features a cigar bar while the upstairs has two bars, pool tables and enough TVs to appease nearly every sports fan.

Caucus Room: You cannot beat the state of affairs at the Caucus Room for affairs of state. Political heads and assorted West Wing types assemble in the Caucus Room's cushy environs-cherry wood paneling, polished brass, plush carpet-to talk, shop and eat well. With lunch items like blackened grouper sandwich and grilled portobello on focaccia with peppers and pesto, eating is a delicacy. Dinner favorites include a brioche-crusted sea bass with braised leeks and fennel, and the Caucus Room Surf & Turf.

Kinkead's: The restaurant, located just a few blocks from the White House, draws a clientele of lobbyists and politicos who talk shop at lunch and chill out and talk more shop at dinner. Diners have a choice of two settings with distinct feels-the more casual street level bar and cafe and the more formal upstairs dining room. Try one of chef Bob Kinkead's signature dishes: Portuguese-style roast monkfish with chorizo, or pepita crusted salmon with crab, corn and chilies.

Old Ebbitt Grill: This location is one of the oldest institutions in Washington, D.C. Back in the day it was a favorite hangout for Presidents Grant, Cleveland, Harding and Theodore Roosevelt. Even if you do not give a hoot about history, it is worth a trip to the Old Ebbitt Grill for the food and insider atmosphere. With its location in proximity to the White House and museums on the National Mall, this upscale saloon/restaurant draws a mixed clientele of tourists and local lobbyists.

Signatures: The restaurant's name is based on a decor that features authentic autographs, letters and vintage signed photographs of famous people. This restaurant features an upscale and pricey destination with a dual personality. On one hand, the fare is American cuisine with a global twist. On the other, the lounge area of the restaurant features a popular sushi bar. Lobbyists and lawmakers abound during the week to sample chef Morou's creations, so reservations are a must.